Plural-compartment admixing vial for segregated storage of ingredients of solutions and liquid mixtures



Sept. 16, 1952 M, LOCKHART 2,610,628

PLURAL-COMPARTMENT ADMIXING VIAL FOR SEGREGATED STORAGE OF INGREDIENTS OF SOLUTIONS AND LIQUID MIXTURES Filed May 9, 1950 BY W'fim V van/final ATTORN EY s Patented Sept; 16, 1952 PLURAL-COMPARTMENT ADMIXING VIALV FOR SEGREGATED STORAGE F INGRE- DIENTS or SOLUTIONS ,AND LIQUID MIXTURES Marshall L. Lockhart, Rutherford, N. J assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to The Compule Corporation, Rutherford, N.;J., a corpora tion of New ersey Application May 9, 1950, Serial No.160,988'

l 14 Claims. (o1. 128-272) .The present invention relates to vials for segregated storage therein of different ingredients of solutions and liquid mixtures so constructed as to permit at will admixing of the ingredients without necessitating opening of the vials and, more particularly, to such structures desirably adapted to preservative storage of segregated liquids, me dicaments and liquid vehicles or solutes and solvents to be admixed for production of medicinal solutions and therapeutic preparations 'or the like. A general object of the present invention is to provide such a vial structure,the parts of which are ofsimpleconstruction, readily produced economically on' a mass basis and easily assembled together to form such a plural-compartment vial assembly with chambers thereof charged or loaded. with the different ingredients in a manner whichassures sterility if desirable; the structure featuring a tubular body havinga construction in its mid-section to provide a throated seat for a resilient gate plug of a diameter intermediate the diameters of the seat and. the body, and with means beingprovided to apply to that plug force suiiicient to unseat it by manipulation external of the chambers without opening the same so as to avoid any undesirable interference with sterile conditions which may exist.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide such vial structure in which is featured a, gated intercommunicating passage formed by a waist constriction in a tube with a removable resilient gate plug seated therein to define one chamber from another for segregation of different materials in the latter, the gate plug being axially movable into one of the chambers from its seat by application of pressure applied hydraulically when one chamber is filled with the liquid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a vial structure in the form of a tube having a medial constriction and closed off at one end by an integral wall with a resilient gate plug seated in the constriction to define between it and that closed end a chamber. for one material, with a piston plug seated in the other end of. the tube to define between it and the gate plug another chamber adapted to contain a liquid, the piston plug carrying thrust means to permit it to be pushed forward in the liquid chamber for 'pierceable material so that after the gate plug 2 has been removed by application of hydraulic pressure with inward motion of the piston plug, access to a resulting mixture or solution within the unopened vial may be had by means of a hollow needle thrust through the piston plug structure.

Arstill further object of the present invention is to provide structural embodiments of the apparatus which are readily and economically constructed and permit efiicient use and operation thereof, as will be more fully apparent from the following descriptions of said embodiments shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

Other objects of the invention will in partg be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the. construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated inthe claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should behad to the following detailed description taken connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which: Y

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal or axial section, to an enlarged scale, of a loaded embodiment of the present invention;

c Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating manipulation of parts thereof to effect intercommunication. between segregated chambers to permit admixture ot-separately-housed materials or ingredients;.

Fig. 3 is aside viewof the structure shown in Fig. 2, but substantially to accurate scale, with parts of an operators thumb and finger indicated in the proper positions of manipulations to effect first, inter-communication between chambers and, second, admixing of ,the ingredients whichhad been segregated in the separate chambers;

Fig. 4 is an axial or longitudinal section of the structure shown in Fig. 3 indicatinga'conventional hypodermic needle, with parts broken away, being employed to withdraw a dosage. of solution after admixture of the solute and solvent thereof;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, but toja larger scale and with parts broken away, showinga modification of the piston plug employed therein;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified formof the structure shown therein with special cap means being provided to apply thrust .to'the piston, plug closing off the liquid chamber for creating the unseating hydraulic pressure; and

the ingredients.

I which like numerals Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6 showing the relative positions or" the parts of that construction after the piston plug in the end of the liquid chamber has been thrust forward by depressi'onoi' the cap to effect the. unseating oi the gate plug with attendant spilling of the liquid into the other ingredient chambery Prior to the present invention, various proposals have been made as to the construction of plural-compartment containers or'vials to house y into the remaining portion of the tube between in a segregated manner different materials or 7 ingredients to be mixed together at the time of use of a mixture of the ingredients. Such proposals have been made in connection with :the storage and distribution of medicinal preparations the medicament or solute ingredient of which tends to deteriorate or lose strength if stored for an appreciable timein the presence of the liquid vehicle or solvent.

out the segregated storage and the admixing of Many such proposals have,.in an efl'ort to assure the required sterility, proposed complicated structures making loadingoi the separate chambers diincult or cumbersome andthe admixing to complete solution laborious and ,at times uncertain. The present" invention avoids these difficulties of the prior art while assuring easy assembly by simple manipulations of a. minimum of simple standard parts, which can be easily and economically made in a rapid mannerin mass production; the constructions permitting easy loading in a simple manner of the ingredients in the segregated chambers un der required sterile conditions while allowing'at will rapid admixture of ingredients with the In Figs. 1 to inclu'sive of the drawing, in

will'be seenv therefrom, it comprises a. substanerably tube H is closed at one end [2 with an integral wall which may be of any suitable y .shape, such as hemispherical,

as proposed therein, or flat. Before assembly of the parts,

tube ll hasits other end l3 open to provide a mouth substantially of the same diameter as the internal diameter of the tube except at an intermediate point or waist l4. At waist 14 tube It is circumferentially constricted to provide a circular internal seat [5 of a diameter substantially'less than the internal diameter of the remainder of the tube. As indicated in Fig. 2, the

diameter of the internal seat l5 may be a dimension .X appreciably less than the diameter of the remaining portions of the tube llv of a dimension 'Z.

A substantially cylindrical gate plug l6, Iormed of suitablerresilient material, such as synthetic or natural rubber (for example, pure gum), is of a diameter which is of a dimension Y intermediate the diameter dimensions X and ,Z, so that it" mavjbe easil inserted through the open mouth at l3 and forced into seat there 'to form a firm fluid-tight partitioning seal. In tegral end wall [2 and gate plug [6 define therelbetween a chamber l! in which may be loaded .a quantity or mass [8 of suitable medicament,

identify similar parts throughout, one embodiment of the present in vention is illustrated by way of example and, as

In h-u ed vial constructions of that nature, maintenance oI sterile conditions must be assured throughthe gate plug andthe end I3. That portion constit-utes a chamber i9 which is closed oii at the tube mouth by means of a piston plug after that chamber has been substantially filled with a body 2! of liquid, which, by way of example, may be a solvent of distilled water in which the medicament. solute i3 is to be dissolved to form the liquid solution.

'Asl wi ll be; seenirorn Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the piston plug 29 preferably is of the cup type having a substantiallycylindrical piston section 22 and a. socket 23 therein to form a relatively thin end wall" 24' so as to be readily pierceable by a withdrawing needle, as hereinafter indicated. From -(the end wall 24 a thrust member or post 25 ex tends. and ismeferablymade integral with'the piston section 22. It will be noted that thrust post 25 is relatively 'short'pbeing preferably of a length just sufficientto assure such inward travel. of piston plug 28 in chamber l9 as will create the hydraulic pressure necessary to force the gate'plug it out of'its seat 15 and pop it into chamber 11. v V

,In" operation of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to a inclusive, the loaded vial construction may be grasped between an operators thumb Z5 and his index finger 21, as indicated in Fig. 3,.so that mechanicalpressure applied to the thrustvpost 25 by. the finger will cause the piston plugto 'move'forward in chamber l9 until the outer end 2 30f the thrust postapproaches alignment with the end. 13 of the tube. H, as indicated in Fig- 2; As a result, the body 2| oi liquid applies hydraulic pressure to the gate plug Hits pop it into chamber llgas illustrated in 2, to permit the licuid to flow into contact with the medicament l8. Thorough mixing of the medicament l8 and the liquid 2! can then readily'be accomplished by shaking the so-fired vial assembly longitudinally as proposed by the double-ended arrow 28 in Fig. 3.. Thorough agitation of the mixture by sloshing fromend to endof the tube H is permitted since the diameter! of the gate 16 is appreciably less than the diameter Z of the vial chamber l1 into which ithas been popped, as indicated in Fig. 2.

All or part of the resultin liquid solution, indicated at 39 in Fig. 4, may be drawn off as a dosage, with maintenance of. sterile conditions assured'by sterilizing or laying with alcohol the exposed parts of piston plug 20 before depression thereof. A hollow needle or cannula 3i may be pierced through the relatively thin end wall 24 to one side of thrus't'post 25 for such withdrawal in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. The hollow needle 3| may constitute a part of a common type of hypodermic needle syringe structure 32, such as that known as the Cook type illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,661,818.

The chief difference between the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 and the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, resides in the structure of closed oiT at its outer end by a relatively thickstemmed,.fairly rigid, cored thrust post l25 to permit application of physical force thereto-suf- 5 ficient to push a inwardly in the manner indi-' cated in Figs. '2 and 3 for creation of that hydraulic pressure which is adequate to unseat the gate plug I6 and pop it into the medicament chamber I'I, without collapse of undue distortion of the thrust post. The piston section I22 is hollow, as in the case of the embodimentshown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, but the socket I23 thereinis preferably of less lateral dimension in order to assure fairly thick walls, particularly in the thrust-post I25.

Asshow'n in Fig. 5, the major portion of socket I23 preferably is in shape belled or substantially frusto-conical with its mouth flared to the outer side surface 'ofthe plug piston'section I22, and

is merged at its upper, smallerv end, near the juncture ofpiston section I22 and thrust ost I 25, with a-minor, relatively-small substantially cylin drical portion 223 to provide a relatively thin end wall I24. Piston plug- I28 is, as in the case of piston plug 20, formed of suitable needlemierceable resilient or elastic material, preferably pure gum rubber, and by virtue of the appreciable'dimension of the diameter ofthrust post I25 and the reduced thickness of end wall I24 at its mid portion termed, for convenience, the target area,,;the withdrawing needle 3I can be pierced through the end wall I'24' of the thrust post itself to th; socket I23 as is graphically illustrated in F ig 'Worklng models have proven-that the piston plug I20 illustrated in Fig. 5 is fully capable of acting in the desired manner while assuring the presence of the important characteristics herein indicated. The thrust post I25 is effectivelyrigid because of the relative thickness of the-side walls thereof which transmit the thrust longitudinally to thepiston section I22, and it will be seen that such rigidity is maintained even though the end wall I24 should be made relatively quite thin. Further, it will be seen that the thrust post I25 is of sufficient length to push the piston section I22 forward v the distance required to develop the necessary gate plug-unseating hydraulic pressure while being needle-pierceable for efficient with drawal ofgsoiution; In the embodiment-f Figs. 1 tofl inclusive, the piston poststructure is such as to assure maintenance of sterile conditions since in its initial position of Fig. l, the external exposed surfacesmay be sterilized or washed with alcohol, and through one of those, 1. e., the circular exposed zone of end wall 24, the needle is to be pushed for withdrawal of contents. In'the Fig. embodiment, maintenance of 'sterile'conditions is even a simpler matter,-since'steriliza tion of the target area through which the needle is' to be pierced-can readily be accomplished after the device has been-fired with the piston plug I pushed inward to the position indicated. In that position-the end surface I24 of the thrust'post I still remains sufiiciently exposed beyond the and I3 of the tube II as to allow ittobe cleansed with-disinfectant, such as; alcohol, justprior to piercing with the needle.

"Inthe embodiment shown'in-Fiss. dand'litthe vial is in the nature of a tube 3 II made with both ends open,; with each plugged by a-cupped piston plug 46-of common construction. ,In suchstructure, liquid 2I filling chamber I9 is to have developed therein sufiicient hydraulic pressure to unseat or pop gateplug I6 into chamber I I1 con- .taining the quantity of medicament solids I8. For this purpose, piston plug'46l closing off the end of liquid-chamber lfi'must be pushed there-' into a certain distance; This is accomplished-by any" suitable instrument, but preferably by a thrust post 41 formed within a cap 48 coaxially with skirt 49 thereof.- formed of resilient material, such as synthetic or natural rubber, and thrust post 41 preferably is'formed integral therewith. The outer edge of skirt 49 of cap 48'preferably extends an appreciable distance beyond outer end 5| of thrust post 41 to provide a zone thereof adapted to lap a zone of appreciable width of the outer surface of tube 3 at its liquid chamber end, as shown in Fig. 6. The internal diameter of skirt 49 is preferably slightly smaller thanthe external diameter of the end of tube 3 so that there .will be slight gripping action to. maintain cap 48 upon the end of the tube in the position shown inFig. 6 during handling and until it is desired to fire the device. However, such difference in those diameters should be sufficiently small so as not materiallyto interfere with slidingaction of the skirt 49 down over the outer surface of the tube 3II to assure that thrust of piston plug 46 by thrust post 41 may be accomplished with ease. Of course, the diameter. of

thrust post 41 should be sufiiciently less than the internal diameter of tube 3 at its ends so that the thrust .post will slide down thereinto without any material frictional contact between those surfaces. J

Such firing action of the structure of Fig. 6 is illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein it is indicated that gate plug I8 has been popped into chamber. I! by the hydraulic pressurecreated with the forwardmovement of piston plug 46 at the liquid chamber end intothe liquid chamber I9. This action may be obtained in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Thereafter mixture ofthe ingredients may be had by the longitudinal agitationproposed in Fig. 3. Withdrawal of mixture solution contents can then be had by thrusting a hypodermic needle through the'piston plug at either end of tube 3II. This is readily permitted by virtue of the provision of the socket 333 in each of the piston plugs 46, which provides the relatively-thin, readily needle pierceable, closing end wall 224. With respect tothe FigsJdand 7 embodiment, it is to be understood that an integral wall, such as I2, may be substituted for the closing piston plug 46 at the end of chamber II'I. It is possible to withdraw gate plug I6 from its seat I5 into chamber I IT by inserting'through its lower closing piston plug 46 (not covered by cap 48) the hollow needle of a syringe and with thelatter aspirating therefrom a portion of the contained gas or air. As a result gate plug I6 will be sucked into chamber II1, with attendant forward motion of the body of liquid 2I and piston plug46 at the other end into liquid chamber I9, permitting spilling of the liquid on the solids I8 for admixture; or unseating of the gate plug by such suction for permitting such admixture may be permitted without undue motion of cap-cov ered plug 46 closing the outer end of. liquid chamber I9 by providing a small gaseous head in ,the liquid chamber.

By Way of example, embodiments of the pres ent invention have been illustrated in the drawing as adapted for segregated housing of liquid and solid ingredients of liquid solutions, and it is above indicated that those embodiments of the device are particularly adapted for the packag- 'ing' and handling of medicinal solutions' or therapeutic preparations. However, it is to be understood that theusefulness thereof is not confined Cap 48 preferably is to those fields of use,v since obviously various em-' bodiments of the device may be employed to house other segregated materials, such as two different liquids, whether they are liquid ingre-- clients of medicinal solutions or otother mixtures. Of course, if both'chambers are to con tain liquid, the. chamber which is to receive the unseated partition gate plug should have a gaseous head therein to permit the gate plug to be popped into that chamber.

It Will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the precedingz'description, are efficiently attained and,

since certain changes may be. made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the'above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting "sense.

It is also to be understood that the followin claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the: invention herein described, and all statements ofthe scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securebyLetters Patent is:

1. A vial for storage of a liquid and another material segregated in separate chambers having a gated intercommunicating passage to permit admixture comprising, in combination, a substantially tubular body constricted in its midsection to provide a circular internal seat ofa diameter substantially less than the diameter of said body on either side thereof to define at opposite ends a liquid chamber and a second chamber almost wholly filled with liquid, and means to apply force axially to said piston plug to move it into said liquid chamber to create fluid pressure against said gate plug sufiicient to force it easilyjnt'o the second chamber to permit admixing of the liquid and the other material.

'2. The vial structure as defined in claim 1 characterized by the provision of said piston plug as a cupped elastic plug of needle-pierceable resilient material having a relatively stiff thrust member extending from the outer end thereof beyond the liquid chamber end of said tubular body'to be engaged for pushing said piston plug forward in said liquid chamber to create therein the gate plug-unseating hydraulic pressure.

3. The vial structure as defined in claim -1 characterized by the combination with said piston plug in the liquid chamber end of said tubular body of a cupped cap adapted to be slid down over said tubular body end and carrying axially therewithina thrust post adapted to push said piston plug into said liquid chamber for creation therein or the gate plug-unseating hydraulic pressure.

4. A vial for storage of a liquid and another material segregated in separate. chambers having awgated intercommunicating passage to permit admixture comprising,- in combination, an elon'- ated tube of substantially uniform diameter except in its mid-section where it is constricted to provide a circular internal seat of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of said. tube on either side thereof to define at opposite'ends a liquid chamberand a second chamber for the other material, a transverse wall integral with said tube closing off 'thesecond chambenend of said tube, a substantially cylindrical and elongated resilient gate plug of a diameter intermediate the diameters of said seat and tube removably fitted in said seat temporarily isolating said chambers fromeach other withsaid liquid chamher at least almost wholly filled withliquid, piston plug means, closing. ofi thev liquid chamber end of saidxtubeto be pushed forward into said liquid chamber to apply hydraulic pressure to said gate plug for moving it into said second chamber to permit" admixing of the liquid and a the other material,v an elongated thrust means located beyond'the outer end of said liquid chamber physically to apply push to said piston plug and of an effective diameter less than the internal diameter of said liquid chamber to permit entry and longitudinal movement therein.

5. The vial structure as defined in claim 4 char acterized by the provision of the piston plug-as a cupped structure formed-of resilient needlepierceable material, with the cupping thereof facilitating piercing of a hollow needle through the end thereof for withdrawal of mixture contents.

6. In vial structure comprising a cylindrical tube a piston plug of needle-pierceable elastic material comprising an imperforate cupped structure with its closed end formed as a projecting thrust member having an outer engageable end and being of appreciable stiffness so as to permit said plug to be pushed into the'tube by physical application of pressure to said engageableend externally of said tube without encom passing support until the outer end of said thrust member approaches the vicinity of the end of said tube to create hydraulic pressure in confined liquid, with said appreciably stiff projecting thrust member being axially hollow to the vicinity of its outer end so that the latter is pierceable readily by a hollow needle for withdrawal of mixture contents with the side walls of'said member being appreciably thick to attain the stiffness.

7. The piston plug structure as defined in claim 6 characterized by the provision of said projecting thrust member as a relatively short post formed as an integral part of said piston plug and of slightly less diameter than the main body of said plug, with said plug being socketed on its inner end to the vicinity of the outer end of said thrust member to provide a thin needle-pierceable end wall and with the side walls of said thrust-member being appreciably thicker than said end wall toassure the stiffness of said thrust member which is sufiicient to transmit thrust while being pierceable through its thin outer end walliby a hollow needle for withdrawal of mixture contents. 7'

8. A vial for storage of a liquid and'another material segregated in separate chambers having a gated intercommunicating-passage to permit admixture comprising, in combination, a substantially tubular bodyclosed at one end by an integral wall and of substantially uniform diameter except in its mid-section where it is constricted to provide a circular internal seat of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of 59.7. said body on ';eitherside" thereoL-the other end or said tubularbodyhaving a. circularmouth of seat constituting a liquid chamber, and the otherend on the closed side of said seat-constituting a .second chamber forxthe other material} an elongated substantially cylindrical "resilient gate plug of a diameter intermediate the diameters of said seat and said body'removably fitted in said seat temporarily isolating said chambers from each other, a 'pis-tonplug- -of-- resilient needle-pierceabl'e' material sea-tedin andf'c'losing the mouth of said tubular body with said liquid chamber at least almost wholly filled-withliquid so that said piston plu'g is-ada-pted whenpushed inwardly a short fdistancetoapply-hydraulic pressure to said gate plug-topush it into said second chamber-to permit admixing of the liquid and the other materialfsaid pistonplug having a hollow piston section'and a thrust section extending'from the outer end of the latterwand" closing off its outer end, said thrust section being of such length asto cause said piston section to move inwardin said liquid chamber the requisite distance to develop" the gate-unseating hydraulic pressure and of such bulk as to be of sufiicient stifiness to slide said piston section inwardly with application of push thereto, said thrust section being longitudinally pierceable by a hollow needle through from its outer end to the hollow interior of said piston section to permit withdrawal of mixture contents from said tubular body.

9. The combination of a dual chamber glass tube for segregating storage of ingredients of a mixture having one end thereof permanently closed by an integral transverse bottom and being of substantially the same diameter throughout except in its mid-section, said tube having a. constriction at its mid-section to provide a constricted internal seat of appreciably smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the remaining portions of said tube, an elongated substantially cylindrical elastic gate plug of substantially uniform diameter which is intermediate the internal diameters of said seat and the remaining portions of said tube, an elastic pierceable piston plug of a diameter slightly greater than that of said tube closing the open end of said tube to define between it and said gate plug a liquid chamber in which hydraulic pressure sufiicient to unseat said gate plug into the closed end of said tube can be created by inward piston action of said piston plug, and an appreciably stiflf thrust post of a diameter less than that of said tube made integral with said piston plug and extending axially out from one end thereof to project beyond the mouth of said tube for manual engagement.

10. The dual chamber tube structure as defined in claim 9 characterized by the provision of said piston plug as a body of needle-pierceable elastic material shaped to provide an axial socket in its inner end and a thick-walled projecting thrust member on its outer end, with the axial thickness of the latter from the inner end of the socket to its outer face being such a to permit ready piercing by a hollow needle while being of such length and stiffness as readily to transmit thrust force to assure the hydraulic pressure-creating piston action.

11. A vial for storage of a liquid and another material segregated in separate chambers having a -g'ated' intercommunicating, passage. .to permit admixture comprising, in combination, an ele'ngated tube constricted in its mid-section. topro: videf'a ci-rculariinternal seat. of. a diameter, sub-,- stantially less than, the diameter of said tube on either side: thereof to defineat opposite ends-gs. liquid chamber and azsecond. chamber, for ,the other. material, means. "closing, ofi both endsfloi! said tube .With such means atone ,end being needleepi'erceable permitting cannula access to mixture contents for withdrawal thereof, said closingpm'eans at the liquid chamber. end of said vial being a piston plug slidable forward in said liquid chamber, a .substantially.cylindrical. resilv ient ate plug of a diameter intermediatethe internal diameters of said seat and tube 'removably fitted. in; said seatj temporarily isolating said chambers from each other with said liquid cham-'. her at least almost .wholly filledwith liquid, piston plug means constituting theclosing means in the end of said liquid chambert'o apply with inward'motion hydraulic pressure to said gate plug tomove it into said second chamber to permit admixing of the liquidand :the other material; and a cap of resilient material to cover theend of said tube in which" said piston plug is: fitted having an axially-arranged thrust post therein to push; said pistonplug iorward when said cap is telescoped down over that end of said tubular body to create fluid pressure against said gate plug suificient to force it easily into the second chamber to permit admixing of the liquid and the other material.

12. The vial structure as defined in claim 1 characterized by the provision of said cap with a depending skirt of an appreciable depth and of an internal diameter slightly less than the external diameter of the liquid chamber end of said tube so as to remain seated on the latter while permitting telescopic reception thereof, said thrust post being coaXially arranged within said skirt and extending short of the edge thereof to provide a zone of the latter to hold the cap on the end of said tube with the end of said thrust post seated against the outer end of said piston plug means while the latter is substantially aligned with the end of said tube prior to being thrust forward.

13. The vial structure as defined in claim 1 characterized by said piston plug being slidably fitted in non-projecting manner into one end of said vial, in combination with a thrust post cap mounted on said vial end over said plug and comprising a substantially cylindrical body of elastic material having a circular groove in one end thereof defining a coaxially-arranged cylindrical core of an external diameter less than the internal diameter of that end of the vial to serve as a thrust post for said plug and a surrounding circular flange to provide a skirt of an internal diameter slightly less than the external diameter of that end of the vial and stretched about the latter, said core being appreciably shorter than said skirt so that a zone at the edge of the latter grippingly engages that vial end prior to entry of theend of the core therein to remain mounted on said vial end protectively covering said piston plug before thrusting the latter into said vial.

14. A vial for storage of a liquid and another material segregated in separate chambers having a gated intercommunicating passage to permit admixture comprising, in combination, a closed container body defined by normally substantially fluid-impervious walls and subdivided into two compartments by rigid non-collapsible transverse partition means to define ton'one side of: the latter a liquid storage chamber at least almost wholly filled with the liquid component of the. mixture tobe produced and on the. other side a mixing chamber in which is stored another material component oirthe ultimate mixture, said trans.- verse partition means having an intercommunieating passage opening therein defined by a seat of appreciably less cross-sectional area thanat least that portion of said mixing chamber adjacent thereto, and an elastic gate plug in the nature of a substantially cylindrical cork of resilient material insoluble in and immiscible with an'dnoncontaminable of the compartment contents frictionally held temporarily in said seat isolating said chambers from each other impermanently and capable of being forced therefrom into said mixing chamber, said gate plug being of such sizeas to be loosely receivable in at least the portion of said mixing chamber adjacent said partition means to permit ready passage of liquid past said plug when unseated, at least a portion of said container body walls which define with said partition means the liquid storage chamber being movable inwardly to decrease the volume of said liquid storage chamber to create hydraulic'pressure therein for unseatlng said gate plug into said mixing chamber, at

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